Why is pregnancy sickness drug not easily accessible to all?

In the UK, whether or not someone can get hold of this drug is down to the local Integrated Care Board (ICB).

In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Xonvea is included in its official list of approved prescription medications, called the formulary.

It was prescribed to Basi by her GP, but it took seven weeks.

Eldridge says: “Getting hold of Xonvea in the UK at the moment is really difficult. It’s a postcode lottery drug.

“It’s great that it is on the formulary now in Hampshire, however, it’s one of these areas where they’ve added a few little criteria on to their prescribing list. So they’ve suggested that women who are not suitable for other antiemetics can try it.

“We are calling for equality of access to this medication for women in the UK who are suffering with pregnancy sickness and would like to try it, so we just want it to be an option for everybody if they would like to have it.”

Chief Pharmacist for NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight Neil Hardy says: “Xonvea is included on the local formulary as an option for treating nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

“Following evidence review, it is not currently the preferred first-line treatment option, but it can be considered for women who have not responded to, or are not suitable for, other established treatments.

“We recognise that experiences of accessing medicines can vary, and we welcome the move towards a national formulary, of which we are an early adopter site, and aims to support greater consistency across the NHS.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said “decisions about what medicines to prescribe are made by the doctor responsible for the patient’s care” and that includes “Xonvea for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy”.

They continue: “Work is already underway to move towards a Single National Formulary for medicines, as committed in the 10 Year Health Plan which is being designed to improve equitable access to medicines across all parts of the country.”

You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, external, X, external, or Instagram, external.